[777funk]

I just installed Ubuntu 12.04 and plan to use it for the day to day stuff. I rely on CAD/CAM for a living and it's looking like so far even though there's a lot of great programing in Linux form, there isn't much out there in the CAM realm.

Am I correct on that? I don't like dual booting if I don't have to but if I have to I have to. I already have a number of music creation programs that I know don't exist in Linux form. But CAD/CAM are more regular use.

[LaGrasta]

I'm dealing with the same thing right now. The most interesting stuff I've found is:

HeeksCAD (also has a CAM add on)
https://github.com/Heeks/heekscad

PyCAM
PyCAM - Toolpath Generation for 3-Axis CNC machining

Then I found this old link, but haven't dug through it yet:
-- CAD Links

I'll post again if I get more info on these. Let me know if you find something good!

[Bubba]

Sheetcam also has a linux version. Development is not quite up to the standard of the windows version, but Les does update it. Most linux users are running the windows version under wine.

[777funk]

I'm dealing with the same thing right now. The most interesting stuff I've found is:

HeeksCAD (also has a CAM add on)
https://github.com/Heeks/heekscad

PyCAM
PyCAM - Toolpath Generation for 3-Axis CNC machining

Then I found this old link, but haven't dug through it yet:
-- CAD*Links

I'll post again if I get more info on these. Let me know if you find something good!

I had no luck installing PyCAM or Heeks. But I'm new to Ubuntu (12.04).

[dmcnally]

I'm an old UNIX geek and run Linux on my computers at home. I've had the
same problem finding usable CAD/CAM software for Linux. For simple 2D
drafting tasks I'm pretty happy with QCad.

I use Windoze software when I have to, but I don't dual boot or use Wine.
I use Virtualbox. With Virtualbox you install a full version of Windoze and
run it as a virtual machine. That way I have a Windoze window right on
my Linux desktop. I have a dual head setup (two 22" monitors @ 1920x1080)
and that's enough screen space for my needs.

Virtualbox does have it's limitations (limited USB and device support), but
for what I do I can live with those limitations (and Virtualbox is free).

Dave

[CaptainVee]

Pycam probably needs older python versions (I think 2.6), I run it in ubuntu 10.10 in virtualbox in xubuntu 12.04

If you do not need the most up to date python you may be able to install earlier versions in 12.04 and then run pycam natively.

I'm not sure what it is like for a cam professional but I find pycam very nice for stl work.

[777funk]

Just tried GCAM and it seems that you can't import a drawing. So not sure what I'd use that for. Seems to be a dead end street so far. I'd like to try HeeksCNC.

[LaGrasta]

Yeah, I'm hoping that the HeeksCAD developers clean up their install instructions on github soon. It definitely looks like its in flux right now. But at least we know it's actively being worked on!

Here's the comment from the last source code commit 11 days ago:

We've removed the git submodule references to make it easier to maintain. New instructions will be written. For now, visit IRC #heekscad

Maybe we should drop him an email and see what the plan is. Now that I think about it, is there a sub-forum for HeeksCAD/HeeksCNC here?

I'd also like to spend some time getting PyCAM to work on my Mac. Apple seems to have a fairly faithful Python setup so, theoretically, that should be possible.

In the meantime, I've spun up a virtual machine and am spending some time learning and evaluating some windows packages (as sad as that idea makes me).

[svenakela]

Try FreeCAD, it's in the Ubuntu repository so you only need to start Software Center, search for it and click install.